Boys Hoops: Taft No. 9 in USA Today poll

To say Taft of Woodland Hills is not the best team in the region would be just flat out wrong.

The Toreadors, who went 27-5 a year ago and lost to Westchester of Los Angeles in the City Section championship are ranked No. 9 in the preseason USA Today Super 25 poll.

Taft returns sophomore point guard Landon Drew, son former NBA player Larry Drew and welcomes mnay new faces, sure to make an immediate impact.

USC-bound wing Bryce Jones, Texas-bound De'Andre Daniels, sophomore forward Brandon Perry and seniors Mark Jackson and Jordan Gathers are five transfers ready to help Taft get back to the Galen Center.

Spencer Dinwiddie, Pierson Williams, Sam Natt, Khiry Williams, Stephen Maxwell and George Idehan aren't too bad either.

Taft's biggest test will come Feb. 6 when it faces St. Patrick's (New Jersey) in the featured game of the Nike Mater Dei Extravaganza.